New here, wanted to introduce myself.

Hello,
I finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a subscription. I am a beginning gardener, but an enthusiastic learner. My husband and I relocated here to Chesapeake, VA from San Diego two years ago. I have spent that time trying to figure out what I already had in my yard, and adjusting to the new climate. I love the change of seasons, and needless to say I have a much larger yard here. I have still not identified everything in my garden but I have made some progress. I'll be reading the archives around here to catch up.

I am starting my first major garden project, my order of blubs will be here from Brent and Becky's soon. Now I just have to figure out where 100 bulbs need to go, I've never ordered more than a dozen, so this will be fun. I also want to start a vegetable garden next year. Any suggestions on what I can do now to get ready?

- Royann

Welcome Royann, I just received my order from B&B yesterday, only 40 bulbs but that's about all I can handle planting at one time. I live in a colder zone then you and some of the folks in this group, but we all have garden experences to share.

Stick around and have some fun with us!

One thing to do is plan to compost, can't have enough of the stuff!

Chris

Welcome, Royann. If you have questions on plant IDs, you can post photos here and we can try to help.

As for that vegetable garden.... If it were mine, I'd mark out the area that I intend to use, then start throwing down layers of organic matter. You might look up "layering" or "lasagna" gardens for more detail, but you can start by putting down a layer of newspapers, water them thoroughly, then start piling on organic matter such as manure, leaves, compost... By Spring, you should have a nice area ready to be worked and planted in.

Welcome, Royann. I want to second ladygardener's recommendation of composting, for purposes of your vegetable garden. If you can afford it and have the space to store it, get a chipper-shredder -- or rent one. Collect all the fall leaves you can and shred them. Leave them in a big pile over the winter -- you can dump your corn husks, apple peelings, etc on top -- and you'll have a wonderful soil amendment all ready for you in the spring. We don't bother to turn the pile, or anything fancy. The resulting soil is to die for.

welcome!!
you should really enjoy the abundant moisture here, once we get back to normal!! my brother who lives in Irvine now, says it seems so lush here in summer. assuming san diego was dry, was it ?
yes compost. county might give free bins of some kind. look aound for free horse manure. if you get that noiw it'll be ready in spring.

I agree with Sally. I usually throw horse manure (fresh and composted) on my garden in the Fall.

I can remember when it used to rain. Those were the days...

Heh heh ... it *just* POURED with RAIN here for about THIRTY SECONDS and then stopped. I don't think it had rained at all in six weeks. Holy Weirdness, Batman.

maybe your 8;30 post was a magic spell start chanting. 'can remember when it used to rain. Those were the days'

Welcome cherryghost! You'll get lots of good advice here to make your transition successful :)

I keep reading about the glorious rain they're getting in the Northeast - just checked the local forecast - the predicted 20% chance of precip for tomorrow is gone :(

Debbie

Thanks for the warm welcome and all of the great information.

I already have been reading the archives on the composting thread. I am leaning toward purchasing an enclosed compost bin, I am concerned about keeping critters, and my dog out of it. Back in San Diego, the city offered the fantastic Biostack bins for 40.00, I wish they did that here. I will likely bite the bullet and buy one. I have been looking on Craigslist, but have not seen one yet.

Thanks for the lasagna gardening suggestion. I have several beds that have been taken over by weeds, and I think this will be a good method to reclaim them. I have been reading on that subject this morning. I guess I will start hoarding my newspapers now.

I have never lived anywhere with real trees, and I am so glad that I can put all of those leaves I rake up to good use. Last year I just let some of them pile up along the back fence of my yard, and they did breakdown eventually. I would love to say that it was intentional, but mostly just lazy. I have a leaf blower/vacuum that shreds leaves, I think I will give that a shot and see if it will work before I buy something else.

It's raining here now this morning, I hope it lasts a while. But it does not look promising.

Royann

i had great results when i took my shredded leaves a few inches thick all over a bare bed, covered that with old plywood. it kept them moist for the worms. by spring, beautiful.

Royann, Your dog or other critters should not bother the compost, no meat, bones or dairy are added to the heap, this is what draws the critters.

The only time I have had dogs dig in the garden is when I added bone meal, I wouldn't do that again!

This message was edited Oct 10, 2007 6:29 PM

My dogs do like to check out what I add to the compost -- they seem to like vegetables, but that doesn't bother me. I bury any corn cobs, and the dogs don't dig them up, thankfully. One of my dogs like to climb to the top of the pile -- no mean feat -- and urinate on it. I applaud him when he does! I haven't seen evidence of other animals. Maybe my dog's top-of-the-heap approach deters them!

I would applaud too if my doggies did that.

LOLOLOL .... {{{{{Clapping here, too}}}}}

My belated doggie shmoggie often stole fruit and veg off the top of my compost bins, but I didn't mind -- usually. She grew up on fresh fruit and veg mixed in with her kibble, so she had a taste for those things. Guess it would just depend upon their tastebuds, eh.

Big ole welcome to you, Royann!!!

Welcome, Royann! We have a lot of fun on this forum, swapping ideas, making plans to get together, and just chatting.

Gardening here will sure be different than in San Diego, but I think you'll enjoy being able to have spring flowering bulbs, apple trees, etc... just as there are things you could grow there that won't grow here, there are things you can now grow that you couldn't have there. :-)

I'm with you on wanting some nice rain. I have a big box of bulbs ordered from eflowergardens, and I need some moisture so I can till up the area where I want to plant them!

If your 100 bulbs are larger ones like daffodils or tulips, I'd suggest getting some small bulbs like crocus or muscari (grape hyacinths) to plant at the same time. Bulbs get planted just twice as deep as their diameter, so as you fill in the planting hole for daffodils you can toss in some little bulbs closer to the surface of the soil... you end up with twice as many flowers for the same digging effort!

Royann, my aunt (and late uncle) have lived in Chesapeake since WWII, back when it was nothing but country. They always had the most spectacular vegetable garden. I think you'll find it's a great place to garden.

Welcome Royann!

Welcome Royann...

To DG and to the mid-atlantic forum!

Karen

Welcome Royann - I loved reading everyone's comments on the compost. Last year was my first try and we now have some gorgeous stuff to put down on the beds. A funny story. Both of my sons LOVE mashed potatoes. I have never really been a potato peeler until now. I use potatoes a lot more these days because knowing that the peels are going back to the earth, somehow makes it less of chore for me. Needless to say, the guys get to enjoy mashed potatoes a lot more these days than before.

Shirley, that is such a cute pot and plant. I would have to smile every time I walked by it. Thanks for sharing.

I hope that all of you folks have a good weekend coming up.

Ruby

Ruby: A total aside, but we never peel potatoes when we mash them. Just boil them in the skins and mash them, skins and all. I promise you, it works fine -- your boys will never notice the difference. Saves a ton of time.

Hey Happy - I could get away with not peeling if it were just hubby and myself. My 17 year old is such a picky eater, that he wouldn't even try it most likely.

Did I mention that we finally had some rain? Yippie, it rained on and off all day yesterday and boy were the people in our area rejoicing. I can't wait to go out later this morning and see how the very few surviving plants are doing. I am sure that they are happy with their drink of water too.

I finally watched the movie Evan Almighty yesterday. The first movie, Bruce Almighty kept me cracked up. This one was not as good in comparison but the film was shot here in my home town and I wanted to see the areas where they shot. I drive the the road where they built the ARK and his home in the movie, quite often. They built this several hundred thousand dollar house, just to demolish after the film was done. Oh well, I heard that this was the most expensive movie ever shot. Must be really nice. ha-ha

Well, the weekend is here. I hope that every one will have a good one.

Ruby

what a waste! of a house! maybe they didn't really build it to fnished specs, only enough to pas in the movie.

cherryghost--how's your rain?

I have never had such a warm welcome, and so much good advice. I picked up a book on lasagna gardening and think it's going to be the perfect way to reclaim my beds.
I bought a compost bin, and can't wait for it to get here. We decided to go with an enclosed one, I live in the suburbs, so in case I have some odor issues I figured that would be the best way to start. Once I get the hang of it, I 'll have to expand. I find myself looking at everything around me with an eye for whether I can compost it or not.

We had some rain last night, but not near enough. Another day in the 80's, it just does not feel like Fall yet. Just enough wind to start blowing some leaves in my pond. I am spending today putting up the cover to keep them out. I'm also digging up some amaryllis, and day lilies that need dividing. Maybe I'll post some pictures soon.

Royann

we love pictures!
I dug up s few amaarylis (ha ha looks dutch, think I'll leave that ncorected) that were in the ground, but way back where i didn't get them much water. bulbs disappointingly small. i put them in my cold frame. never got any fall seeds n there yet so that might be a good zone 8 for them to try.